AFC Telford United seal statement signing of legendary ex-Fleetwood stopper Nathan Pond

The 36-year-old centre-half has answered Gavin Cowan's call for central defensive reinforcements and brings an experienced, winning pedigree to the New Bucks Head.

Pond has signed a one-year deal with the Bucks, having made the switch from league rivals AFC Fylde, and will make his first appearance at the home friendly against Notts County today.

Cowan feels the statement signing is a nod to Telford's ambition, given Pond turned down a number of offers to seal his Bucks switch.

Pond, an eight-capped Montserrat international stopper, won six promotions across a stunning 15-year career with Fleetwood – where he is recognised by the Guinness World Records for playing in the most divisions (seven) for a single club.

Preston-born defender Pond was club captain at the Cod Army after helping them from the Northern Premier League all the way to League One, and played 163 times in league football for the Fylde Coast club.

He made 498 appearances for Fleetwood in all competitions, also proving a presence in the opposition box having notched 51 goals.

He left in 2018 for Salford, where he helped them win a first-ever promotion to League Two in 2019, before joining former Buck Jim Bentley's AFC Fylde in 2020, where he spent last season in Telford's curtailed National League North.

Pond remains a full international having last featured for Caribbean island Montserrat in early June.

Telford boss Cowan had been vocal about his desire to add defensive strength to his Bucks ranks and has plugged the gap with the high-profile capture, following on from the recent loan signing of Stockport County stopper Lewis Earl.

Cowan said: "It’s a huge signing for this football club that I feel shows ambition and desire to push ourselves to be as high as possible.

"We can’t take all the credit on this one, Nathan’s bought into the vision having had many offers and that’s testament to what we have created over the last three years."